The Next Big Thing in Science Could Be "Neural Engineering"

In the future we all may be fitted with a socket in the back of our heads where we can plug in our computers and other devices. We may even be able to drive our car or operate other machinery just by thinking about it. How long will it be before the scenario described in the movie "The Matrix" becomes reality?

According to WebMD:

"The National Science Foundation has announced an $18.5 million grant to establish an Engineering Research Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering based at the University of Washington. "

Right now this research will focus on devices that will interact with and understand signals from the nervous system. They could be used in devices that would allow an amputee, for example, to move his artificial limb just by thinking about it.

This research could lead to help not only for amputees, but also for people with spinal cord injuries, stroke victims, and other neurological disorders. We already have chips that interface with the nervous system and then stimulate the muscles to move. The new research will focus on making this technology even faster and better.

The scientists will use math to study how the body's neural systems work and come up with new ways of interfacing them with technology. This could lead to some significant advances in robotics. Could the Six Million Dollar Man be far behind?

The field of robotics is growing at an amazing rate. Right now we also have a prosthetic arm called "The Shadow Hand" that is so touch sensitive that it can pick up a fragile light bulb without breaking it. Other recent inventions include robotic cars that can drive themselves using GPS, and a robot that not only communicates with you, but you can also hold its hand and walk up stairs with it.

Forget immigration, robots are already taking over jobs that are too dangerous or repetitious for humans to do, especially in the military. We have unmanned drones that are flown by an operator using a joystick, as well as robots that sniff out explosive devices in Iraq.

Remote controlled robots are actually even placed into combat today and the cost of making one has fallen to about the same cost as training a soldier. And it's a lot better to replace a scrap of metal that has been blown up than a human soldier.

Of course human still have to do the tasks that require judgment or intelligence, but that also may be changing soon as artificial intelligence becomes better and better. Let's just hope that the robots don't get so smart that they revolt.

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/231150.php

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-some-significant-recent-advances-in-robotics.htm